How Is Stomach Acid Produced?
Stomach acid is primarily composed of a substance called hydrochloric acid, which is made by cells in the stomach called parietal cells. According to Colorado’s State Pathology Department, stomach acid is notable for its high concentration of molecules called hydrogen ions, which can also be called protons. These hydrogen ions are made from the breakdown of water into a hydrogen ion and a hydroxide ion. The parietal cells then get rid of the hydroxide ion by using an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase. Carbonic anhydrase takes hydroxide ions and combines them with carbon dioxide to make bicarbonate. The net result of these chemical reactions is that parietal cells turn water and carbon dioxide into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate.
